---
title: "Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 44"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/yuddha-kanda/sarga-44"
lang: "en"
---

# Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 44

> युध्यतामेव तेषां तु तदा वानररक्षसाम्।  
> रविरस्तं गतो रात्रिः प्रवृत्ता प्राणहारिणी॥ १॥

While the aforesaid monkeys and ogres were still fighting on the occasion, the sun actually sank below the horizon and the night fell, which proved destructive to life. (1)

> अन्योन्यं बद्धवैराणां घोराणां जयमिच्छताम्।  
> सम्प्रवृत्तं निशायुद्धं तदा वानररक्षसाम्॥ २॥

Then ensued in full swing a nocturnal fight between the redoubtable monkeys and ogres, whose enmity for one another was deep-rooted and who were all yearning for victory. (2)

> राक्षसोऽसीति हरयो वानरोऽसीति राक्षसाः।  
> अन्योन्यं समरे जघ्नुस्तस्मिंस्तमसि दारुणे॥ ३॥

The monkeys put the question to their antagonist: “Are you an ogre?”; while the ogres made the inquiry: “Are you a monkey?” Then alone they struck one another on the field of battle in that terrible gloom. (3)

> हत दारय चैहीति कथं विद्रवसीति च।  
> एवं सुतुमुलः शब्दस्तस्मिन् सैन्ये तु शुश्रुवे॥ ४॥

“Strike!”, “Tear asunder!”, “Come on!”, “Why do you flee away?” Such was the tumultuous noise actually heard in that army of monkeys and ogres. (4)

> कालाः काञ्चनसंनाहास्तस्मिंस्तमसि राक्षसाः।  
> सम्प्रदृश्यन्त शैलेन्द्रा दीप्तौषधिवना इव॥ ५॥

Clad in golden armour, the dark-complexioned ogres could be clearly seen in that darkness like the foremost of mountains clothed with forests abounding in phosphorescent herbs. (5)

> तस्मिंस्तमसि दुष्पारे राक्षसाः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः।  
> परिपेतुर्महावेगा भक्षयन्तः प्लवङ्गमान्॥ ६॥

Smitten with anger, the ogres, who were endowed with great impetuosity, assailed the monkeys on all sides in that darkness, which was diffcult to penetrate, devouring them. (6)

> ते हयान् काञ्चनापीडान् ध्वजांश्चाशीविषोपमान्।  
> आप्लुत्य दशनैस्तीक्ष्णैर्भीमकोपा व्यदारयन्॥ ७॥

Springing up, the monkeys (in their turn) whose fury was terrible, tore with their sharp teeth the horses of the ogres, decked with golden ornaments, as well as their flags, which looked like venomed serpents. (7)

> वानरा बलिनो युद्धेऽक्षोभयन् राक्षसीं चमूम्।  
> कुञ्जरान् कुञ्जरारोहान् पताकाध्वजिनो रथान्॥ ८ ॥  
> चकर्षुश्च ददंशुश्च दशनैः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः।  
> लक्ष्मणश्चापि रामश्च शरैराशीविषोपमैः॥ ९ ॥  
> दृश्यादृश्यानि रक्षांसि प्रवराणि निजघ्नतुः।  
> तुरंगखुरविध्वस्तं रथनेमिसमुत्थितम्॥ १०॥  
> रुरोध कर्णनेत्राणि युध्यतां धरणीरजः।  
> वर्तमाने तथा घोरे संग्रामे लोमहर्षणे।  
> रुधिरौघा महाघोरा नद्यस्तत्र विसुस्रुवुः॥ ११॥

The mighty monkeys sowed confusion in the army of the ogres, nay, infatuated with fury, they draggd the elephants, those mounted upon them and the chariots, which were dressed with flags and pennons, and tore them with their teeth. With their arrows, resembling venomous snakes, Lakṣmaṇa and Śrī Rāma too killed the principal ogres, visible as well as invisible. Pulverized by the horses’ hoofs and raised by the chariot wheels, the dust of the earth filled the ears as well as the eyes of the combatants . While that terrible conflict, which made one’s hair stand on end, was raging as aforesaid, most dreadful streams carrying volumes of blood flowed on the battlefield. (8—11)

> ततो भेरीमृदङ्गानां पणवानां च निःस्वनः।  
> शङ्खनेमिस्वनोन्मिश्रः सम्बभूवाद्भुतोपमः॥ १२॥

Then there arose a marvellous sound of kettledrums, wooden tomtoms and drums mixed with the blast of conches and the rattling of wheels. (12)

> हतानां स्तनमानानां राक्षसानां च निःस्वनः।  
> शस्तानां वानराणां च सम्बभूवात्र दारुणः॥ १३॥

There also arose on the battlefield a fearful wailing of wounded ogres groaning with pain, as well as of injured monkeys. (13)

> हतैर्वानरमुख्यैश्च शक्तिशूलपरश्वधैः।  
> निहतैः पर्वताकारै राक्षसैः कामरूपिभिः॥ १४॥  
> शस्त्रपुष्पोपहारा च तत्रासीद् युद्धमेदिनी।  
> दुर्ज्ञेया दुर्निवेशा च शोणितास्त्रावकर्दमा॥ १५॥

With the foremost of monkeys lying wounded by javelins, pikes and axes, and ogres, huge as mountains and able to change their form at will, who had been killed, the battle-ground in Laṅkā, on which offerings of flowers in the form of weapons had been made and which had been rendered muddy by the flow of blood, had beocme difficult of recognization and were difficult of access. (14-15)

> सा बभूव निशा घोरा हरिराक्षसहारिणी।  
> कालरात्रीव भूतानां सर्वेषां दुरतिक्रमा॥ १६॥

Like the night of dissolution, that fearful night, which proved destructive to the monkeys and ogres alike, was difficult to pass for all created beings. (16)

> ततस्ते राक्षसास्तत्र तस्मिंस्तमसि दारुणे।  
> राममेवाभ्यवर्तन्त संहृष्टाः शरवृष्टिभिः॥ १७॥

Feeling highly delighed in that dreadful darkness, the aforesaid ogres then assailed Śrī Rāma himself with a hail of shafts on that battlefield. (17)

> तेषामापततां शब्दः क्रुद्धानामपि गर्जताम्।  
> उद्वर्त इव सप्तानां समुद्राणामभूत् स्वनः॥ १८॥

The noise of those roaring ogres, rushing furiously towards Śrī Rāma, resembled the roar of all the seven oceans (dividing the seven Dwīpas or principal divisions of the terrestrial globe from one another) at the time of the final dissolution. (18)

> तेषां रामः शरैः षड्भिः षड् जघान निशाचरान्।  
> निमेषान्तरमात्रेण शरैरग्निशिखोपमैः॥ १९॥

In the mere twinkling of an eye, Śrī Rāma struck down with six shafts, resembling tongues of flame, six principal prowlers of the night among the ogres. (19)

> यज्ञशत्रुश्च दुर्धर्षो महापार्श्वमहोदरौ।  
> वज्रदंष्ट्रो महाकायस्तौ चोभौ शुकसारणौ॥ २०॥

They were Yajñaśatru, who was difficult to overcome, Mahāpārśwa and Mahodara, the gigantic Vajradaṁṣtra and both Śuka and Sāraṇa, mentioned before. (20)

> ते तु रामेण बाणौघैः सर्वमर्मसु ताडिताः।  
> युद्धादपसृतास्तत्र सावशेषायुषोऽभवन्॥ २१॥

Pierced by Śrī Rāma with showers of arrows in their vital parts, the ogres, however, slipped away from the battle, and their life was saved thereby. (21)

> निमेषान्तरमात्रेण घोरैरग्निशिखोपमैः।  
> दिशश्चकार विमलाः प्रदिशश्च महारथः॥ २२॥

In the mere twinkling of an eye, the great car-warrior, Śrī Rāma, lit up all the quarters as well as the intermediate points with his formidable arrows resembling tongues of flame. (22)

> ये त्वन्ये राक्षसा वीरा रामस्याभिमुखे स्थिताः।  
> तेऽपि नष्टाः समासाद्य पतङ्गा इव पावकम्॥ २३॥

Those other ogre champions too who for their part stood in front of Śrī Rāma, perished as moths would on coming in contact with fire. (23)

> सुवर्णपुङ्खैर्विशिखैः सम्पतद्भिः समन्ततः।  
> बभूव रजनी चित्रा खद्योतैरिव शारदी॥ २४॥

With golden-feathered arrows raining on all sides the night looked bright as an autumnal night illumined with fire-flies. (24)

> राक्षसानां च निनदैर्भेरीणां चैव निःस्वनैः।  
> सा बभूव निशा घोरा भूयो घोरतराभवत्॥ २५॥

Nay, the said night, which was already dreadful, turned all the more fearful becaue of the yells of the ogres and the roll of kettledrums. (25)

> तेन शब्देन महता प्रवृद्धेन समन्ततः।  
> त्रिकूटः कंदराकीर्णः प्रव्याहरदिवाचलः॥ २६॥

Resounding with that loud outcry, that had swelled on all sides, the Trikūṭa mountain, which was thickly set with caves, responded as it were to someone’s call. (26)

> गोलाङ्गूला महाकायास्तमसा तुल्यवर्चसः।  
> सम्परिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यां भक्षयन् रजनीचरान्॥ २७॥

Folding the prowlers of the night tightly in their arms, the gigantic Golāṅgūlas (long-tailed and black-faced monkeys), who were dark as night, crushed them to death and allowed them to be devoured by jackals and vultures etc. (27)

> अङ्गदस्तु रणे शत्रून् निहन्तुं समुपस्थितः।  
> रावणिं निजघानाशु सारथिं च हयानपि॥ २८॥

Aṅgada, for his part, who was determined to exterminate the enemies on the field of battle, wounded in no time Indrajit (son of Rāvaṇa), his charioteer and horses, too. (28)

> इन्द्रजित् तु रथं त्यक्त्वा हताश्वो हतसारथिः।  
> अङ्गदेन महाकायस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत॥ २९॥

Leaving his chariot, Indrajit, on the other hand, whose horses and charioteer had been killed by Aṅgada, vanished on that very spot, greatly fatigued as he was. (29)

> तत् कर्म वालिपुत्रस्य सर्वे देवाः सहर्षिभिः।  
> तुष्टुवुः पूजनार्हस्य तौ चोभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥ ३०॥

All the gods (who had been witnessing the combat from their arieal cars) alongwith Ṛṣis (seers of Vedic Mantras), as also both the brothers, Śri Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa applauded the aforesaid exploit of Aṅgada (son of Vāli), who was worthy of praise for his valour. (30)

> प्रभावं सर्वभूतानि विदुरिन्द्रजितो युधि।  
> ततस्ते तं महात्मानं दृष्ट्वा तुष्टाः प्रधर्षितम्॥ ३१॥

All created beings present there were aware of the might of Indrajit in war; therefore, they all felt gratified to find the latter, even though endowed with great courage, overpowerd by Aṅgada. (31)

> ततः प्रहृष्टाः कपयः ससुग्रीवविभीषणाः।  
> साधुसाध्विति नेदुश्च दृष्ट्वा शत्रुं पराजितम्॥ ३२॥

Highly rejoiced to see the enemy vanquished, the monkeys too, alongwith Sugrīva and Vibhīṣaṇa, cried out “Well done! Bravo!” (32)

> इन्द्रजित् तु तदानेन निर्जितो भीमकर्मणा।  
> संयुगे वालिपुत्रेण क्रोधं चक्रे सुदारुणम्॥ ३३॥

Utterly routed in combat by the aforesaid Aṅgada (son of Vāli) of redoubtable deeds, Indrajit, for his part, then exhibited a terrible rage. (33)

> सोऽन्तर्धानगतः पापो रावणी रणकर्शितः।  
> ब्रह्मदत्तवरो वीरो रावणिः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः॥ ३४॥  
> अदृश्यो निशितान् बाणान् मुमोचाशनिवर्चसः।  
> रामं च लक्ष्मणं चैव घोरैर्नागमयैः शरैः॥ ३५॥  
> बिभेद समरे क्रुद्धः सर्वगात्रेषु राक्षसः।  
> मायया संवृतस्तत्र मोहयन् राघवौ युधि॥ ३६॥  
> अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां कूटयोधी निशाचरः।  
> बबन्ध शरबन्धेन भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥ ३७॥

Infatuated with anger, the notorious and gallant Indrajit, the sinful son of Rāvaṇa—who, having been enfeebled by his encounter with Aṅgada, had gone out of sight and on whom a boon had been conferred by Brahmā (the creator)—shot sharp arrows, bright as lightning, while remaining still invisible. Nay, enraged in battle, the ogre pierced Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, too, with formidable shafts, consisting of serpents, all over their limbs. Confounding the two scions of Raghu in the struggle, the ranger of the night, who was fully guarded by supernatural power and as such remained invisible to all created beings, and who fought treacherously, bound the two brothers, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, in a network of arrows. (34—37)

> तौ तेन पुरुषव्याघ्रौ क्रुद्धेनाशीविषैः शरैः।  
> सहसाभिहतौ वीरौ तदा प्रेक्षन्त वानराः॥ ३८॥

At that time monkeys beheld those two heroes, who were veritable tigers among men, enmeshed by the furious ogre all of a sudden with darts in the form of venomous snakes. (38)

> प्रकाशरूपस्तु यदा न शक्त-  
> स्तौ बाधितुं राक्षसराजपुत्रः।  
> मायां प्रयोक्तुं समुपाजगाम  
> बबन्ध तौ राजसुतौ दुरात्मा॥ ३९॥

When Indrajit (son of the king of ogres) was not able to overcome them in his visible form, the evil-minded fellow duly proceeded to employ a conjuring trick and bound the two princes, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. (39)

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